Mumbai crime: Mimic poses as politician, cons 25 people

Police have arrested a 28-year-old con man who used his mimicry skills to convince people that they were being promised jobs in revenue department by top politicians of the state.

Rahul Jalinder Gade (28) from Baramati would promise people a job in the revenue department and take money from them

The accused, Rahul Jalinder Gade, is from Baramati, the hometown of many top leaders of the state. After attending several rallies of politicians, he learnt to imitate their voices quite well.

According to officials from the Property Cell of Crime Branch, Gade is well known in Baramati for his mimicry skills. Six months back, he started hanging around Mantralaya on the pretext of some work, and learnt about the workings of the office.

“He was introduced to some people in the Mantralaya and impressed them with his mimicry skills. He would go there with small tasks of people from his village,” said Nandkumar Gopale, police inspector of Property Cell.

Later, Gade hired a white-coloured Ambassador with a yellow beacon and started roaming around in Baramati and Mumbai, telling people he had been posted in the revenue department.

“Many people from his village and neighbouring areas approached him to get government jobs for their children. He would promise them jobs and make calls to them, posing as a politician, and convince them to give Gade the money.

He took R4 lakh from one complainant near Mantralaya gate and another R3.5 lakh for a Talati job,” said Nitin Patil, assistant police inspector of Property Cell.

Gade decided to move to Mumbai a week back and was staying in Chembur. By then, he had conned close to 25 people in six months. He was picked up by the Crime Branch of Mumbai, after they received complaints about him.

Police said that Gade spent most of his money at dance bars and would give expensive gifts to a girl working at one of the bars.